In the Name of Family
by krazykatladi
Summary: There's a new girl in the Quarter. What is her connection to Father Kieran? And why is it so dangerous for her to be in New Orleans? Rated T to be safe for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

The sun was just barely shining through the windows at St. Anne's but Father Kieran was already working on cleaning up the church.

A middle aged woman, formally dressed in slacks and a jacket walked in.

"I am sorry," Kieran said "But the church is still closed."

"You're Kieran?" the woman asked

"Yeah"

"I'm not here for mass, Father. I'm here to see you."

He eyed her suspiciously. He wasn't sure if she was human or not, although he doubted Marcel's guys would be stupid enough to make a move against him.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Marcy. I'm from the Louisianna Department of Family and Children Services. I need to ask you about a girl."

She held up a picture for him to look at. It was a teenage girl, maybe seventeen, with long dark hair and emerald eyes.

"When she disappeared from her foster home in Chalmette, we thought maybe she'd come looking for you."

"I don't think I've ever seen her before. Sorry. And why do you think she'd come all the way to the Quarter looking for me?"

"When she went missing, her foster parents tore her room apart looking for an answer. They found a birth certificate. One that didnt match the one the state has on file. It listed you as her father."

Kieran's jaw dropped.

"Her name is Josephine. Her mother died delivering her. No one stepped up to claim her, and she's bounced between foster homes since. If she makes it here, call me."

Marcy handed him a card and turned and walked away. Kieran turned and faced the statue of Mary and bowed his head.


	2. Chapter 2

After Marcy had left, a girl walked out of the shadows of the hallway and approached Kieran.

"You didn't rat me out." she stated.

"You came to me saying you needed help," he replied. "You seem to have left out part of the story."

"Not exactly an easy bomb to drop, just saying." she replied casually.

"Why did you come here?" Kieran asked her.

"Curiousity, I guess." she answered. When Kieran didn't reply she continued. "For as long as I can remember, every night I would stare at your name on my birth certificate. I have wondered about the man behind that name. Wondered who you were, where you were, what you were like..."

Kieran's facial expression softened a little as she spoke, but he said nothing.

"I always dreamed that some day, the man behind that name would show up and take me home. Every time I was moved to a new foster home, I'd tell myself _This will be the last one. He'll find me here._" She turned her face away and tried to blink back the tears forming in her eyes. "Some nights I would convince myself that man was out there looking for me, and some nights I would convince myself that he had died too. So I guess to answer your question, I just needed to meet you. I needed to put a face with the name I've fallen asleep dreaming about."

Kieran stepped toward her. "If I had known, I would have been there," he said softly.

Josephine gave a small laugh. "I gotta tell you, I've had this conversation a million times in my head. All the things I would say to you, the things I would ask you. But now I have no clue what to say."

"Josephine, this town," he said cautiously "is dangerous. There are so many things here that I don't think you would understand."

Josephine sighed. "I get it. You have a life here. I just had to meet you. Maybe someday I can see you again."

She turned to walk away. Kieran wanted to stop her and tell her she was wrong. He wanted nothing more than to know her, but he also felt an overwhelming desire to keep her safe from the horrible secrets the French Quarter held.

"Josephine!" he called after her. Kieran smiled when she turned to look at him. She smiled back and turned back to the door, only to find herself face to face with a tall young man. He had blonde hair, pale skin, and icy blue eyes.

"Well now, you're a new face," he said in a soft British accent.

Behind her, Kieran closed his eyes. His worst fear for her had just been realized.


End file.
